The present invention relates to a tool with a replaceable tip and, more particularly, to a tool with a replaceable tip that is secured relative to a tip holding portion by a clamping ring.
Various structures for securing a tip relative to a tool body are known. It is, for example, known to secure a tip relative to a tool body by means of a chuck that has clamping surfaces that can be moved, ordinarily by a key and gear arrangement, toward the tip to clamp it and away from the tip to unclamp it. It is also known to secure a tip relative to a tool body by a heat shrink technique wherein the tip holding portion of the tool body is heated so it expands sufficiently to receive the tip and, when the tip holding portion cools, the tip holding portion contracts and secures the tip relative to the tool body.
It is desirable to provide a tool with a replaceable tip that is easily attached and removed relative to the tool body. It is also desirable to provide an arrangement for easily attaching and removing a tip relative to a tool body.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a tool with a replaceable tip comprises a tool body comprising a tip holding portion, a tool tip having a shank portion adapted to be disposed proximate the tip holding portion, the shank portion having at least one recess, at least one locking element adapted to be received in the at least one recess, and a clamping ring, an interior diameter of a locking element contacting surface of the clamping ring decreasing in a circumferential direction such that, when the clamping ring is disposed around the tool tip such that the at least one locking element is disposed between the locking element contacting surface and the at least one recess and the clamping ring turns in a first direction about a longitudinal axis of the tool body relative to the tool tip, the locking element contacting surface contacts the at least one locking element and urges it into the at least one recess in the tool tip.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of retaining a replaceable tip in a tool comprises positioning a tool tip having a shank portion such that the shank portion is disposed proximate a tip holding portion of a tool body, the shank portion having at least one recess, positioning at least one locking element adapted to be received in the at least one recess proximate the at least one recess, positioning a clamping ring around the shank portion of the tool tip such that the at least one locking element is disposed between the at least one recess and a locking element contacting surface of the clamping ring, an interior diameter of a locking element contacting surface of the clamping ring decreasing in a circumferential direction, and turning the clamping ring in a first direction about a longitudinal axis of the tool body relative to the tool tip such that the locking element contacting surface contacts the at least one locking element and urges it into the at least one recess in the tool tip.